"Let me go, let me go!"
Jiraiya shouted furiously, tied up like a caterpillar.
"Find the next one."
Shiso instantly tightened his grip and hoisted the restrained Jiraiya onto a tall tree.
"Jiraiya might escape. I'll stay behind to keep watch."
Akaba volunteered eagerly, wanting to remain.
"Don't slack off."
Sakumo knew Akaba just wanted an easy way out.
"Fine, fine. If that's the case, don't waste time, or else they'll set traps later and things will get more complicated."
Akaba stood up. Since he couldn't slack off, he'd have to finish the battle as soon as possible.
"Let's go."
As soon as the words fell, the three disappeared into the forest simultaneously.
"Hey hey, put me down! Don't leave!"
Don't leave!
Jiraiya felt totally screwed. He wasn't dumb—just missing a few brain cells sometimes. If this kept up, there was a good chance he'd end up getting dragged back to class like some idiot runaway.
"I've got to break free, I've got to break free! Damn you, Shiso! You tied me way too tight!"
Deep within the Forest of Death, Orochimaru began setting traps continuously.
"Aren't we going to rescue Jiraiya?"
Tsunade expressed concern. Knowing that idiot's personality, he definitely would've confronted the other trio alone—and probably already fallen into a trap by now.
"Going after him would be suicide. Better to survive and wait for our chance."
Orochimaru replied calmly.
After a moment's silence, Tsunade began helping with setting the traps.
Their thinking changed. No one expected Jiraiya to break free now—he just needed to last a little longer, giving them that much more breathing room.
But just then—
"Traps. We're close."
Akiba stopped atop a branch. Shiso and Sakumo also stood on trees, refusing to touch the ground.
Who knew how many traps were in place here? Orochimaru from the ninja academy had scored top marks across all subjects. His skill at laying traps was truly terrifying.
"I'll go first."
Without hesitation, Sakumo leaped from this tree to another.
"I'll support Sakumo. You provide backup when necessary."
Shiso stated calmly.
The three-man team each took their roles—Sakumo was agile and offensive, best at scouting. Shiso was versatile and capable in multiple areas, able to handle various situations. Though not multi-talented himself, Akiba possessed the most bizarre abilities, excelling in survival and distraction techniques.
"Fine."
Akiba readily agreed, secretly grinning inside.
This was his dream spot. Just hang back in the shadows and pop out unexpectedly—no messy face-to-face fights needed. Total slacker's paradise.
Sakumo darted between the treetops, continuously searching for Orochimaru and Tsunade's trail.
Hopping over a hundred steps away, he suddenly stopped, carefully surveying the surroundings, then announced:
[Summoning Jutsu]
"Fang, help me locate our enemies."
Fang was still young, but belonged to the Inuzuka clan's Ninja Hounds, specially trained since childhood, possessing considerable ability.
Still, no dog had learned to climb trees yet.
Upon finding himself transported onto a tree, Fang immediately barked fearfully several times before steadying himself. Finally, he locked his gaze toward one particular direction.
"This way, huh? Thanks!"
Sakumo returned the terrified Fang, placed his hand on his White Fang Tanto, and quickly proceeded in that direction.
Akaba yawned, then his eyes suddenly narrowed. He instinctively sensed danger approaching.
"Coming after me, Orochimaru?"
"Not bad."
His mind raced as he immediately activated the Shifting Body Technique.
In the next moment, the tree branch where he had stood shattered silently. Orochimaru appeared instantly, landing and attempting to hide once more.
"Earth Release: Decapitation Jutsu."
"Not good!"
Orochimaru hadn't expected Akaba to possess this technique. Instantly, his hands formed seals for a Substitution Jutsu to escape.
"What incredible speed in forming seals!"
Akaba inwardly marveled. Failing one attack didn't faze him because earlier, he'd already injected chakra into Orochimaru's body.
Normally, this kind of genjutsu wouldn't require chakra injection, but Orochimaru wasn't ordinary. To add an extra layer of assurance, Akaba deliberately inserted chakra as a marker to activate the Kekkei Genkai.
Now emerging from hiding, he completed the final stroke with his brush.
[Five Senses Manipulation]!
Orochimaru instantly fell into the illusion. However, having broken free before, he forcefully induced unconsciousness to escape the genjutsu. Nearby, a Multiple Shadow Clone waited ready, quickly pulling his unconscious form to safety.
[Multiple Shadow Clones]!
Before launching his attack, he had already planned a thorough escape strategy.
"He really is tough to handle—once exposed to a technique, he immediately figures out how to counter it."
Akaba rubbed his temples. Truly, he didn't want to keep fighting anymore.
Yet since Orochimaru had come after him, avoiding battle now would make him appear weak. Using the Shifting Body Technique again, Akaba surged toward the direction Orochimaru had fled.
"Don't chase him. Let's deal with Tsunade first."
Shiso had been dozens of steps away when he noticed Akaba had driven off Orochimaru and intended to follow him in finishing off Tsunade. Instead, he found Akaba chasing after Orochimaru.
"Well then, stall Orochimaru. We can still beat Tsunade two against one."
Without hesitation, Shiso continued advancing toward where Tsunade was located.
Using the Shifting Body Technique to pursue, within moments, he spotted the just-reawakened Orochimaru along with his Multiple Shadow Clone.
"To master [Multiple Shadow Clones] within days—you truly are frightening."
Akaba spoke with some admiration.
"Actually, that line should be mine, Akaba-kun."
Orochimaru ran his tongue over his lips, his battle spirit flaring. "Looks like I'll need to settle things with you first, Akaba-kun."
"Fighting you's exhausting. I'm just not into pointless fights."
Akaba sighed softly, then added, "But if I go help Tsunade, you'll rescue Jiraiya."
Though somewhat clueless, Jiraiya definitely wasn't a complete failure. His taijutsu and Earth Release abilities were actually quite impressive. Releasing him would indeed pose significant problems.
Boom! A loud explosion rang out, shaking a distant tree violently until it nearly collapsed.
"Tsunade must have run into trouble too."
Orochimaru licked his lips, his battle spirit flaring. "Looks like I'll need to settle things with you first, Akaba-kun."
"Fighting with you is exhausting. I'm lazy—I hate unnecessary trouble."
Akaba sighed softly, then added, "But if I go help Tsunade, you'll rescue Jiraiya."
Though somewhat clueless, Jiraiya definitely wasn't a complete failure. His taijutsu and Earth Release abilities were actually quite impressive. Releasing him would indeed pose significant problems.
"Let's go."
Orochimaru and his Multiple Shadow Clone sprang forth instantly, kunai in hand, rushing toward Akaba.
He was fully committed to attacking with taijutsu!
Akaba, however, wasn't that reckless—in fact, what remained behind was merely a clone, not even a Multiple Shadow Clone.
"Hmm? An illusion!"
Only a dozen steps away, Orochimaru sensed danger and immediately stopped, retreating in the direction where he had set traps.
However,
just then, two figures launched a sudden ambush from the flank.
Where is Shiso? No—it's Narakami no Jutsu!
Orochimaru shattered the genjutsu instantly—something he'd always been great at. Yet after breaking the illusion, he discovered himself still within this environment, and the two figures before him didn't stop but continued charging toward him.
[Substitution Jutsu]!
A reflexive survival instinct allowed Orochimaru to evade the attack. But the next second, he saw those two pass right through a remaining shadow clone still caught in the illusion.
[Clone Jutsu]?
At this moment, however, a kunai flew toward him from behind.
Still clones again?
Orochimaru pondered inwardly. But as it came closer, he realized—it wasn't.
This one was real!
[Shifting Body Technique]! Smoke bomb! [Substitution Jutsu]!
Using Ninjutsu and smoke bombs in rapid succession, Orochimaru caught his breath as he fled his original spot and darted into a secure hideout he'd set up earlier.
Truth and illusion mixed together—so terrifying!
Hiding inside the shelter, Orochimaru wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
Already clever by nature, from just these two brief encounters he now understood Akaba's ever-changing tactics—the first time clones, the second time shadow clones, and by the third or fourth wave, who could say whether they were truly human?
Genjutsu works by disturbing chakra to create illusions, while the Sakuma clan enhanced it with mental control and Five Senses Manipulation, making the illusion feel completely real.
Facing Akaba, distinguishing truth from falsehood became extremely difficult—but trapped like this, what about his teammates?
A wave of worry hit Orochimaru hard.
Hmm? The noise has stopped—is Tsunade captured?
No—it's an illusion!
He reacted instantly—it was Five Senses Manipulation again!
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